Sixth-grader explores the science of water quality

Waynesville Middle School student Jed Messer designed a project about water quality for the regional science fair. The project was part of work for Messer’s sixth-grade science class.

“Students at Waynesville Middle School take part in a science fair that encourages students to think like scientist,” said Kitty Eaker, Messer’s teacher. “They work for several weeks designing a science project that uses the scientific method to solve a problem.

Messer spent time at local creeks sampling and recording data.

His work is centered on understanding how development in Haywood County impacted runoff and sediment deposits in the water, sediment being Haywood County’s major pollutant. He figured out that water quality and land use were connected, and he set out to design a scientific experiment to show it.